A calypso playlist for families

Dara Healy

By calypsoes our stories are told, with rhythm to touch your soul.

The Mighty Sniper (Mervyn Hodge), 1965 Calypso King.

I WOULD have preferred the budget to focus on the themes of families, resilience and our youth.

Daily, I see young black men in my community do little else but smoke, recite every word of sex-filled dancehall and engage in trivial conversation.

As more babies die and families struggle to survive, it seems to me that we need to shift our attention to the community. Sometimes it is more critical to address the micro to better understand and build the macro.

For instance, enhancement of our national television station should see funds being allocated towards building a library of excellent children's programming.

“Dara, you know there are children who never left this country who speak perfect American,” one of my friends said.

I see two-year-olds already addicted to mobile phones.

“It does keep him quiet,” is the explanation.

Outside of programming for children, it is essential that we allocate resources for high-quality local television that showcases our nation and celebrates all people. Media content is essential for protecting and preserving core values, cultural norms and creating the kind of citizen our country needs.

Media should therefore not simply be about government communication, but should ask questions like, what gaps do we have in building a strong nation and how can media serve as an empowering force to fill these?

These are some of the thoughts rumbling through my mind as we turn our attention this month towards calypso. How may we infuse the healing power of this music into our communities and fill the holes left by policy-makers?

I think of the icons, the calypso ancestors. I remember how they held mirrors to our flaws and warned of the decline in our families. They float across my mind’s eye – Sandra, barefoot and wearing her raw passion. Brother Resistance ringing his bell for justice. Denyse Plummer in national colours, so proud of her country.

Mighty Shadow, articulating, in his brilliantly painful way, the reality of poverty and its impact. “Ten little children, four dumpling/Mummy got to slice them thin, thin, thin/A piece for a boy and a piece for a girl/A piece for the neighbour daughter, Merle.”

Shadow’s calypso could have been written in 2023.

Although an increase in the basic wage is necessary, our families are in urgent need of more. In this month of calypso, these are some of the songs that I think should be played everywhere to help with the healing.

Rikki Jai’s Family Life is a story about his parents’ commitment to their children, and his hard-working father, who did jobs from cane-cutting to being a barber or even driving a taxi. It is an important depiction of a responsible father.

“'Love family life,' is what he used to say/Doh mind he working hard for a little pay/He wanted to keep his family together/The little pay he got went a long, long way/He never wanted his children to stray/On the right track, he told us to stay/He did what had to be done to keep us together/He had to keep his family together.”

In a Mother’s Love, Mighty Sparrow reminds how essential it is for sons to treat their mothers with respect. “Oh no, don't neglect your mummy so/Don't leave her in tears and sorrow/Don't forget, boy, you owe her the respect/That all good mothers should get/You got to make it a point of duty/Try your best to see that she's always happy.”

Sundar Popo also sang of the need to respect mothers, “Never treat your mother bad, never make her sad/Make your mother happy and glad/ she'll never wish you bad/Never treat your mother bad, never make her sad.”

Ella Andall’s Rhythm of A People calls for harmony in the family and the nation. “People hear the call, a call for unity/Together none will fall/Let’s shape our destiny/Dancing on the keys of life, invoking harmony/Daughter, brother, father, wife, won't you dance with me?/Are you ready? Are you ready for this?”

I have discovered it is not that easy to find calypsoes that celebrate family and the value of caring for children.

By calypso our stories are told, so perhaps this is a sign that we must write new stories. Not just to make politicians cringe, but to convince them to create policy that puts families first.

Dara E Healy is a performance artist and founder of the Indigenous Creative Arts Network – ICAN.